


of avoided fires and chocolate whiskers

by lesbianxshuri



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec speaking Spanish, Bad Blood, Fluff, Food Porn, Happy Ending, Isabelle speaking Spanish, Latino Lightwoods, Lightwood Family Feels, Lightwood Siblings, Other, Pancakes, Spoilers, a tiny bit of angst at first, alec is not, izzy is a bad cook, kind of, maryse is a good mother, max just wants chocolate, set before 1.08
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-30
Updated: 2016-05-30
Packaged: 2018-07-11 05:34:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7031095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesbianxshuri/pseuds/lesbianxshuri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“God, what the hell was that?”</p>
<p>“I was trying to do a bronchetta.” Isabelle muttered, pouting her lips. Alec rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>“Was it supposed to be green?” Max said, rubbing his eyes. Isabelle turned her glare to her little brother while Alec restrained a laugh.</p>
<p>“This is the last time I'm trying to cook something nice for you, you ungrateful brat.”</p>
<p>“Thank the Angel.” Max muttered under his breath.</p>
<p>Isabelle let out an outraged gasp and Alec bursted out laughing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	of avoided fires and chocolate whiskers

**Author's Note:**

> I've been working on this piece for a while. And now that finals are over, I finally got around to finish it. 
> 
> Enjoy this little Lightwood fluffy one-shot !

 

Alec stretched his arms over his head, leaning into his chair and restraining a yawn. He let one of his hands fall on the back of his neck, rubbing it. While it was late, the Institute was still buzzing with people.  Well, that happened when the most evil Shadowhunter ever known to exist comes back to life, Alec inwardly thought to himself, rolling his eyes. With a sigh, he pushed the chair backward, balancing it on its two left feet and swinging his own feet on the desk – not before looking around to see if his mother was anywhere near – while continuing to review one of the files that lingered on his desk. 

 

Add that to the things that had gone wrong since Clary Fray and her mundane pet had entered their lives. Alec had began to neglect his role as Acting Head of the Institute - something that his mother had noticed and hadn't failed to criticize – worked with Downworlders and authorized missions without the consent of the Clave. His parents' return had taken the heat off of him, but still. He had let him get dragged along by Isabelle and Jace to help the daughter of Valentine Morgensten. Alec's inability to say no to either of his siblings had come back to bite him in the ass and he was, now, left to deal with the consequences of their actions.

 

A soft knock on the wooden desk made Alec look up. Raj was standing in front of him, a soft smile on his lips and an amused look on his face. Feeling his face flush under the other shadowhunter's scrutinity, Alec bent his head and cleared his throat, letting the chair fall back on its four feet.

 

“What are you working on?”

 

Ignoring the teasing tone in Raj's voice, Alec ran his fingers through his hair and threw the folder on the table, crossing his arms.

 

“Same old thing.” Alec answered with a shrug, keeping his blue eyes trained on the piece of furniture in front of him as he tried to recompose himself “Demonic attacks. Mundanes drained of their bloods.”

 

Raj simply hummed and gave a small nod. He tilted his head to the side.

 

“Hodge was looking for you when you got back with the Fray girl. Didn't find you. Where did you you disappear?”

 

While Raj's tone was still teasing, Alec couldn't help but feel interrogated. Clenching his jaw, he looked up and plastered a fake smile on his face, rested his arms on the desk.

 

“I went up to shower and rest a bit. Chasing after little redheads get tirying after a while.” Alec added with an exaggerated eyeroll, earning a chucke from Raj.

 

_And watching them make out with the guy he was in love with was worse_ , he added inwardly. Any pretext to left was good to him. Isabelle had followed him for a while, calling his name and throwing words of comfort, in hope he would turn around. Alec had, eventually. Only to tell her that he was fine and just needed to be alone for a bit. His little sister had stared at him in disbelief, her brown eyes wide-open. Her fists clenched, her lips pursed in a thin line, Isabelle had shaken her head and walked the few steps that separated them.

Alec had frozen when she had grabbed his arms and hissed herself on her toes to kiss his cheek. With a small smile, Isabelle had squeezed his arms.

 

“We'll talk later, big brother.” Then wrinkling her nose, she added “You stink, by the way.”

 

Alec hadn't had the time to protest, she was already gone. So he had taken a shower. He had traded his gear for a black shirt and jogging pants. He had stayed in his room for half a hour, doing nothing but stare at the wall in front of him. And when he had gotten back down to get work down, Alec didn't feel any better.

 

“Anyway,” Raj's voice interrupted Alec's train of thoughts. “ _This_ just came in.”

 

With a confused frown, Alec took the red folder the other Shadowhunter was handing him. Squinting his eyes, he let it drop on his lap, unopened, and looked back up.

 

“Why are you giving this to me?”

 

“This is supposed to go to the Head of the Institute.” Raj replied, cocking an eyebrow, his hands crossed behind his back. “Last time I check, that's you, Lightwood.”

 

“ _Acting_ Head of the Institute. This isn't the case anymore. My parents are back, this should go to them.” Alec insisted, his frown deepening.

 

“Well, I found you first, so.”

 

Cocking an eyebrow, Alec restrained an eyeroll when Raj shrugged. He should be happy someone _actually_ recognized his authority. With a sigh, he gave a nod and rubbed the back of his neck.

 

“Alright. Thanks, Raj.”

 

The latter gave a nod of his own before taking his leave. Swaying in his chair, Alec rolled his neck, groaning when it cracked, and opened the folder. Only to freeze in his chair, at the sight of the words staring back at him. He straightened in his chair, frowning at the report and re-reading the words as if he didn't understand them.

 

_'- resulting the events of late concerning the Morgensten girl and unauthorized missions involving Downworlders, an envoy from the Clave will be sent to to the New York Institute, to oversee the missions. As of tomorrow, the envoy will act as the Interim Head of the Insistute, with the assitance of Alexander Gideon Lightwood..-'_

 

“That's just..great.” Alec muttered, letting his head fall onto his chest. He rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hand, sighing. _Could this get any worse ?_

 

“Alec?”

 

Startled, the archer looked up to find Max standing a few feet away from him, covered with his blanket. With a tired sigh, Alec closed the file and pushed his chair away from the desk.

 

“Max, what are you still doing up? It's late.”

 

The blonde boy shrugged a shouder, tilting his head to the side and bouncing on his bare feet. The sight made Alec smile.

 

“I'm not sleepy. And I'm hungry.”

 

“How are you _still_ hungry? You ate an entire chicken at dinner.” Alec teased, cocking an eyebrow.

 

“No I didn' !” Max protested with the vehemence of a eight-yeat old and crossed his arms, a frown on his face. “Jace ate way more than I did. Plus Izzy's hungry too, so it's not just me.” He added with a pout.

 

With a chuckle, Alec shook his head and crossed his arms against his chest, tilting his head to the side.

 

“ _Where_ is Izzy, by the way?”

 

Max shrugged his shoulders, his hands crossed behind his back.

 

“I dunno.”

 

Alec narrowed his eyes at his little brother and leaned forward.

 

“She's in the kitchen, isn't she?”

 

Once again, Max shrugged, his brown eyes blinking innocently at him. With a groan, Alec stood up, making sure that the file he had been reading was hidden under a pile of papers, and walked toward the boy, stopping him a second to pick him off the ground and hiss him on his shoulders before continuing his way to the kitchen.

 

“Come on, Maxi-Max, let's go stop a disaster.”

 

Max let out a small giggle, loosely wrapping his arms around Alec's neck while the latter grabbed his legs to keep him from falling. People barely spared them a glance when the two passed them by. But if they did, a smile would appear on their face at the sight of the two brothers. Max had that ability, to spread happiness wherever he went, no matter the situation. And Alec?

 

Alec was always so tense, so serious. He built this facade that only his siblings managed to break, especially the younger Lightwood. Seeing him balancing Max on his shoulders – he'd pretend to stumble every five second, making Max squeal and tighten his hold around his neck – was so out of character, seemed so out of character that they couldn't help but stare. They'd look away a few seconds after, feeling like they were intruding a personal moment between the two, and return to their works. But they'd look away with smiles enlightening their faces.

 

Alec didn't need to enter the kitchen to know that Izzy had started to cook without waiting for them. He could already smell something burning.

 

“Oh hell,” he muttered to himself, before adding louder “Brace yourself, Max. We're going to war.”

 

Both brothers started coughing when Alec opened the door. Isabelle stood in front of the oven, covering her mouth with the long sleeve of her worn sweater and peering at the contains of the frying pan with a disgusted grimace. Alec dropped Max on one of the kitchen stools, handing him a napkin so he could cover his face with it, and headed to Isabelle, his head tucked into the crook of his elbow. Gently pushing his sister to the side, he grabbed the sizzling pan and went to throw its containts in the trash can. Gagging at the smell, Alec threw the pan in the sink and opened to the faucet to cool the dish before opening the windows wide.

 

Max made a show of taking huge breaths, slamming the napkin back on the table while Isabelle cleaned the foam off her glasses with her shirt, scowling. Squinting his eyes and couphing a little because of the smoke, Alec croacked:

 

“God, what the _hell_ was that?”

 

“I was trying to do a _bronchetta._ ” Isabelle muttered, pouting her lips. Alec rolled his eyes.

 

“Was it supposed to be green?” Max said, rubbing his eyes. Isabelle turned her glare to her little brother while Alec restrained a laugh.

 

“This is the last time I'm trying to cook something nice for you, you ungrateful brat.”

 

“ _Thank the Angel_.” Max muttered under his breath.

 

Isabelle let out an outraged gasp and Alec bursted out laughing. Before she could retort, Alec grabbed Isabelle's shoulders and forced to sit in the stool beside Max's. Her lips pursed, she poked the boy's side, cackling each time he squealed or recoiled from her touch.

 

“Alright, enough” Alec came between the two, pushing Max's seat until his ribs were out of Isabelle's reach. The small boy blew a rasberry at her and she retorted with a grimace. “I said _enough._ Come on, I thought you were hungry.”

 

“I _am_!” Both of them exclaimed in unisson.

 

“So sit still and keep quiet while I make us something to eat, alright?”

 

Max and Isabelle exchanged a glance before relucantly nodding. Alec gave a nod of his own and walked to the fridge. Pursing his lips, Alec drummed his fingers against the fridge's door, scanning its containts. Quietly humming, he stuck his head out and asked:

 

“How do you feel about pancakes?”

 

Both beamed at him. Max started bouncing and bobbing his head up and down while Isabelle straightened on the stool, rocking from side to side.

 

“Sounds great.”

 

“A'right.” Alex muttered to himself, getting out eggs, milk and butter out of the fridge. “Izzy, could you grab the flour and check if we have some chocolate chips, please?”

 

Isabelle slid out of her seat and went to the cupboard while Alec put the ingredients on the table, closing the fridge with his foot. Isabelle came back to the counter, dropping the bag of flour on it. As she did so, a white cloud rose out of it, causing Max to lean away from it. Isabelle opened the bag with a mischivious smirk, poured some of it in her hand and blew it on Max. She snickered when Max squealed and inched away from her.

 

“ _Alec!”_ He whined.

 

“Izzy, don't start something you won't finish.” Alec scolded, dropping some bowls on the table.

 

Isabelle pouted and crossed her arms, muttering _“tattle tale”_ while Max snickered. He grabbed the bag of flour and, as he went to pour it in his hand like Isabelle had, was stopped by his older brother.

 

“ _Na-ah-ah!_ Give that to me, I need it!” Alex snapped his fingers and helf out a hand and, with an disappointed sigh, Max gave it to him. “ _Gracias_.”

 

Dropping the bag out of the reach of his two siblings, Alec turned back to them, took three eggs out of the pack before looking up.

 

“Now,” he took a deep, exaggerated, breath, playing with the eggs in his hands. “Watch and learn, kids. And by kids, I mean Izzy.”

 

Isabelle faked a laugh, giving her older brother the finger when she was sure Max wasn't looking. Smirking, Alec let out another breath and began to joggle _._ Max began to cheer him on while Isabelle chanted ' _drop-them-drop-them-drop-them'._ After five minutes of joggling, Alec caught two with his hands and one with his mouth, giving a small bow. Max clapped and Isabelle booed, each one trying to be louder than the other.

 

While Alec busied himself with the cooking, Max and Isabelle spent their time kicking at each other or trying to disturb Alec. He didn't pay them much attention, throwing them smiles or rolling his eyes every now and then. Alec'd stop Isabelle from eating all of the chocolate chips or pull Max away from his sister when he started pulling her hair.

 

When the pancakes were - finally - ready, both Max and Isabelle focused their attention on the food Alec slid in front of them.

 

“ _Bon appétit_.” Alec proudly announced “Dig in.”

 

While Isabelle reached for the bomb of whipped cream, Max looked up at Alec before looking back down at his pancakes. He did so several times before Alec asked with a frown:

 

“Something wrong, Maxy?”

 

“Could I have some chocolate syrup?” Alec sighed. As if he had be anticipating that reaction, Max joined his hands and asked in a pleading voice “Please, please, please.”

 

“Max, there's already chocolate in your pancakes. I think that's enough.” Alec retorted, running his fingers through his hair.

 

Isabelle scoffed and took the bottle of syrup Alec had been trying out of their reach, squeezing some of it in her plate.

 

“You'll be the one dealing with him during his sugar rush, then.” Alec muttered, focusing on his food.

 

Isabelle rolled her eyes while Max ignored him, too content with his freshly chocolate covered pancakes. Dipping a finger into the syrup in her plate, Isabelle turned to her little brother and grabbed his chin, turning his face toward her despite his protests. Alec wrinkled his nose when she started drawing whiskers on Max's face, the latter squirming against her hold.

 

“ _Izzy-_ ”Alec started. Both Isabelle and Max turned to him, the former smiling innocently and the latter, frowning. Alec had to bit his bottom lip to restrain a laugh. “Respect your food.”

 

“I _am_ respecting it.” Grabbing Max's face one more time, she squeezed and poked his cheeks “I'm using it to make art.”

 

Max humpfted and pushed his sister's hand away, returning to his pancakes while Isabelle and Alec laughed at his expense.

 

“What's going on here?”

 

Seeing Isabelle tense at the sound of their mother's voice, Alec lost his smile and pushed himself from the counter, straightening his posture. Maryse was standing in the threshold of the kitchen's door, her arms crossed and her eyebrows raised as she stared at them, expecting an answer for either of them. Oblivious to the sudden tension, Max was the one to answer.

 

“Alec made chocolate chips pancakes !” Max announced enthusiastically.

 

As if it were possible, her eyebrows rose higher and Alec could've sworn she saw the corner of her lips twitch. As if she were repressing a smile. Maryse walked into the kitchen and took in Max's chocolate covered face before throwing a look at Alec. Helpless, the latter couldn't do anything but shrug in response. Maryse looked back at her youngest child.

 

“Did he really?” At Max's nod, she bent down so she could look him in the eye, her hands now resting on her knees. “It still doesn't explain why you're here instead of being in your bed, asleep like you were supposed to be hours ago.”

 

“I was hungry.” He muttered with a small shrug, having lost his enthusiasm from earlier.

 

“And now that you've eaten, you can go back to bed.” With a sigh, Maryse straightened and wiped some chocolate smeared on his face with her thumb with a grimace. “Pass by the bathroom to wash your face and brush your teeth. I'll come to check on you later.”

 

“But I already brushed my teeth!” Max protested.

 

“Well, you should've thought about it before eating chocolate pancakes. Now, let's go.” Maryse countered.

 

Max didn't move from his stool. Instead, he humpfted and crossed his arms, glaring defiantly at his mother. The sight almost made Alec smile. But he knew what was good for him, so he didn't. Isabelle, however, seemingly couldn't care less about their mother's reaction to taunting. Her fork pending from her lips, she watched the exchange with an amused smirk. Maryse didn't pay attention to either of them, narrowing her eyes at Max, her patience thining. Snapping her fingers, she pointed to the kitchen's exit.

 

“ _Ahora,_ Maxwell. Vamos, rapido!”

 

Max's eyes twitched before he closed them, losing the glare battle he had engaged with his mother, and let out an exaggerated sigh, his head falling back as he did so.

 

“Fiiiine.” Max drawled, letting himself slide out of the stool and walking out of the kitchen.

 

“Eyes open, Max!” Maryse called out.

 

“ _They are!”_

 

Isabelle let out a small chuckle, attracting both Alec and their mother's attention.

 

“Well, that was entertraining,” Isabelle said, sliding from her stool, “I'm off to bed, too. I'll be taking this.” she added, leaning over the table and sticking her fork into a pancake. With a smirk, she stuffed it whole in her mouth, earning an eyeroll from Alec and a disguted grimace from Maryse. “Buenas noche, familia.”

 

Alec snorted and shook his head at Isabelle while Maryse let out a tired sigh, running her fingers through her ponytail as she watched the younger woman walk out of the kitchen. Clearing her throat, Maryse went to stand in front of Alec, leaning against the kitchen counter and watching her son as he pilled plates in the sink. Feeling her gaze, Alec turned around and wiped his hands with rag.

 

“I'll clean everything up, don't worry.” he assured.

 

“I know.” Maryse said with a smile. Hopping on a stool, she leaned her elbows on the counter and rested her chin on her hands. “You know, you still didn't tell me what you were doing up this late.”

 

“You mean, beside stopping Izzy from setting fire to the Institute?” Alec retorted with a smirk, earning a fond eyeroll from his mother. “I've been catching up on late reports, starting some work that I won't be able to do during the day.” He shrugged, faking nonchalance as if his mother's stare wasn't disturbing him. “What about you?”

 

Maryse lifted a shoulder and ran her fingers through her ponytail.

 

“I went to check on Max and when I found that his bed was empty, I went to investigate.”

 

Alec hummed, grabbing a clean rag to clean the flour off the table. Maryse watched him do so for a couple of minutes, bitting her lip, before she gently grabbed his wrist, prompting him to stop. Alec looked up at his mother, frowning.

 

“Everything okay, Mom?”

 

Maryse plastered a smile on and Alec was brought back to the day where he had found his mother crying in her office. Taking a deep breath, Maryse turned his hand in hers and intertwined their fingers. Alec gave her hand a squeeze.

 

“I know I'm not as present as I should be, and that I can be quite... _controlling_.” Maryse admitted, struggling on the last word. “But everything I'm doing, I'm doing for you four. You know that right?”

 

Alec's frown deepened, absently playing with his mother's fingers. He tilted his head to the side, a hesitant smile on his face.

 

“Of course, Mom. But... What brought this on? If it's because of Isabelle, there's-”

 

“It's _not_ just that, Alec.” Maryse interrupted, craddling his hands with both of hers. “I just- I just want you to be happy.”

 

Alec didn't know whether to by confused or surprised by his mother's confession. Of course, she loved them. she was their mother, she was _supposed_ to. Then again, Maryse wasn't your typical mother, nor Robert was your typical father. They weren't lovey-dovey parents, they didn't tuck them in bed or cover them with kisses and love declarations. To do that, they had to be there more than once a month. It didn't bother him, though. Alec had grown used to it.

 

“-lec? Did you hear what I said?”

 

He blinked and found his mother staring at him, expectant. He must've spaced out longer that he thought.

 

“Sorry. Lost in my thoughts.”

 

“I asked if you were happy.” Maryse repeated, caressing his hand with her thumb.

 

And that sudden interest in their happiness. Maryse – and every Shadowhunter – valued their duty to the Clave more than they cared about feelings. Even if those feelings were their own and those of someone close to them. Why did his happiness matter all of a sudden ? Even if it did, what was he supposed to say ?

 

_'Well, mother. I'd been doing quite well until Clary Fray – who came out of nowhere – walked into my life – with her mundane friend - and messed it all up. To make things even worse, if that's even possible, turned out to be Valentine's daughter. Valentine's alive, by the way, and wants to rule over the world by destroying all Shadowhunters and Downworlers alike. Again. Jace is following the Fray girl like a lost puppy. While we're talking about Jace, I'm pretty sure I'm in love with him. But that won't ever happen because he's too busy shoving his tongue into Clary's throat to notice I exist.'_

 

Yeah, that conversation would go well. So Alec simply plastered a smile on his face and said, shrugging a shoulder:

 

“Could be worse.”

 

_How?_ Alec didn't know but the answer seemed to satisfy his mother. Returning his smile, Maryse brushed back the bangs that were falling over his eyes. 

 

“Good.” Maryse said, nodding “I'm glad.”

Giving her a nod of his own, Alec slipped out his hand out of hers and returned to his cleaning, eager to avoid her searching gaze. After the table was clean of all stains – and Alec didn't have any reasons to avoid talking to his mother – Alec rubbed the back of his neck and pushed the plate of pancakes in front of her.

 

“Can I tempt you with chocolate chip pancakes?” At his mother's look, Alec grinned “I promise they're fine. I didn't let Isabelle even stir the mix.”

 

Alec waved a fork in front of her face as she tilted her head to the side, her lips pursed in thought. Narrowing her eyes at him, she snatched the fork out of his hand and stuck into the food, under Alec's amused gaze. Talking out a fork for himself, he watched as Maryse brought the food to her mouth and chewed it carefully, as if she were ready to spit it out. He snorted when her dark eyes widened and she let out an appreciative moan. After swallowing the food in her mouth, Maryse nodded to her son.

 

“Alright, it's pretty good.”

 

“Right?” Alec agreed with a satisfied smirk, leaning over the table so he could stick his fork in the stack of pancakes. “You should try it with the chocolate syrup. It's even better.”

 

For the first time in forever, Alec spent time with his mother, without having her criticizing every thing he did, every choice he made. Sure, she'd chatisied him and tell him to chew with his mouth close, but she wasn't frowning at him, nor was she glaring at him. Sure, Maryse'd scold him when he'd defiantly pour whipped cream directly in his mouth, but she'd do so with an amused smile on her face.

 

For the first time in forever, Alec felt like he was spending time with his mother – the woman who, when he was younger, ruffled his hair or poked his cheeks just to get a rise out of him - and not the head of the New York Institute.

 

For the first time in forever, Alec felt like he wasn't lying to himself when he said he was happy.

 

* * *

 

 

❤ come and talk with me on[ Tumblr ❤](http://geekypeterpanwannabe.tumblr.com)

 

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave kudos and comments, tell me what you thought about it !


End file.
